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Books for Children Seven to Ten

The Confident Reader: Books for Children Seven to Ten

As reading skills grow, children plunge into the world of books with new-found confidence. They are now able to handle books with more complex storylines. They can comprehend narratives told from various points of view and can empathize with the characters.

With encouragement and direction, the middle reader will grow into more sophisticated books that can provide a solid base from which to explore the world around them.

Look for these:

A rich feast of fiction and non-fiction. Middle readers are exploring, tasting and testing everything, so try not to put limits on what they read.

Books with short episodic chapters, scattered illustrations and an open friendly format.

Books that are a part of a series. Readers often love to follow the same group of characters through many books and adventures.

Stories that are a bit more demanding with longer chapters.

Stories linked by theme or genre.

Books that may be suggested for a slightly older age, which provide the reader with something to “grow into.”

Reading sports trivia, horror books and joke books makes a nice change of pace from a strict diet of fiction.

As children get older, their days are often packed with activities, but try to continue to set aside time for family reading.

Activities

Encourage your young readers to keep a diary or journal just like Sally Cohen in Not a Nickel to Spare: The Great Depression Diary of Sally Cohen by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch.

You and your children can have some great fun and learn more about the world around (and beyond!) them with Cynthia Pratt Nicolson and Paulette Bourgeois’s The Jumbo Book of Space, illustrated by Bill Slavin. If you love the environment, take a look at The Eco-Diary of Kiran Singer written by Sue Ann Alderson and illustrated by Millie Balance.

After you read Shoe Shakes by Loris Lesynski and illustrated by Michael Martchenko, or Lickety-Split by Robert Heidbreder and illustrated by Dušan Petričić, have your children write poems of their own.

Want to find out more about your children’s favourite Canadian authors and illustrators? You’ll find interesting facts and lots of great tips for young creators on authors’ and illustrators’ websites. Visit our Author and Illustrator Directory for a list.